MSU is part of the University Innovation Alliance
As part of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), MSU has a resident UIA Fellow who represents the university in a consortium of fellows from 18 institutions. Together they identify projects and opportunities to advance UIA’s goal of increasing graduation rates for students of color, first-generation students and low-income students. UIA Fellows are rising mid-level professionals who serve in the position for one to three years, fostering a dynamic relationship between those just starting and those finishing their fellowship who guide and mentor the others. Fellows bring their group concepts back to their colleges and work to apply them there, then take what they learn back to the other fellows, creating a network of support.
Current MSU UIA Fellow
Wasek Sazzad
The currently serving UIA Fellow at Michigan State University is Wasek Sazzad. Wasek has been leading the project management of the MSU Learning Goals Initiative. Collaborating with project leads and campus stakeholders, the Undergraduate Learning Goals (ULGs) initiative team has drafted redesigned 15-year-old ULGs.
Wasek has also been contributing to the coordination of campus-wide Student Success Strategic Initiatives (SSSI) led by the Office of Undergraduate Education. He brought our dream to life through a newly launched web page that highlights and archives the hard work of campus-wide initiatives, provided integrated project frameworks to help us define and understand the role of the group, and supported us in the development of shared responsibilities and collaboration processes.
Wasek brings ten years of experience in strategic planning and project management. He has designed and delivered 56 impactful projects across education, innovation, and global development - including initiatives with NASA Space Apps Challenge and the United Nations. He holds a STEM-designated MBA in Data Analytics from MSU’s Broad College of Business, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
MSU’s rich history of UIA fellows include Chastity D. Gaither, Ph.D.; Renata Opoczynski, Ph.D., interim vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Education; and Amy Martin, Ph.D., associate dean for Student Success Strategic Initiatives.
UIA LIAISONS
